Rethinking the Measurement of Intelligence

Duffy, Leah

ET

Schwartz, K. (2016, April 11). Rethinking intelligence: How does imagination measure up? Retrieved April 13, 2016, from http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/04/11/rethinking-intelligence-how-does-imagination-measure-up/?utm_source=feedburner

Summary:
The article starts out by discussing Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman and his struggles in early education. Due to a processing disorder he was placed in special needs courses until a high school teacher realized he probably could take regular courses. He overcame his background of special education classes and went on to university to study psychology and become a professor. Schwartz goes on to discuss Dr. Kaufman's research on an "imagination quotient." He believes that IQ alone is not a good way of measuring intelligence. Some creative people, who can be successful when passionate about a subject, don't have minds that work in ways traditionally measured by the school system and this can be detrimental. There are different neural networks, the default node network and the attention network, which function at different times. There is research being conducted on the connection between these networks and how creative people have enhanced connections between the networks. Dr. Kaufman suggests that teachers need to enhance the time that children use the default node network and not just the attention network. 

Review:
This is a great, brief article that shows that not all minds work the same. Traditional IQ tests can be helpful but they shouldn't be the sole measure of academic potential.  School systems need to embrace different types of intelligence because not all minds work in the same way. Dr. Kaufman's background shows that different ways of thinking don't have to be detrimental to success. Educators that are willing to be flexible with their students can help non-traditional thinkers become prosperous students. 

Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Is Racial Bias Harmless? Derek Wing Sue

Faulk, M
Info 250                                                                                                                                              

Racial Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Is Racial Bias Harmless? Derek Wing Sue
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201010/racial-microaggressions-in-everyday-life (Links to an external site.)

Summary:Space does not allow me to elaborate the harmful impact of racial microaggressions, but I summarize what the research literature reveals. Although they may appear like insignificant slights, or banal and trivial in nature, studies reveal that racial microaggressions have powerful detrimental consequences to people of color. They have been found to: (a) assail the mental health of recipients, (b) create a hostile and invalidating work or campus climate, (c) perpetuate stereotype threat, (d) create physical health problems, (e) saturate the broader society with cues that signal devaluation of social group identities, (f) lower work productivity and problem solving abilities, and (g) be partially responsible for creating inequities in education, employment and health care.

Evaluation: An eye-opening article about the "little" things (slights) that may happen each day in the classroom, possibly, to any student. The perspective is from an Asian American's viewpoint who speaks to what he sees going on around him and incidents that draw attention to this very real problem.

Multimedia Learning Theories and Online Instruction.

Jones, Erik

ET

Tempelman-Kluit, N. (2006). Multimedia Learning Theories and Online Instruction. College & Research Libraries, 67(4), 364-369. Retrieved from: http://crl.acrl.org/

Summary

This article deals with some of the various learning theories and issues that arise when making an online lesson plan and presenting information to the students in the course. The key takeaways from the article are the Cognitive Load Theory and Cognitive Overload. Cognitive Load Theory deals with eliminating all redundant information that a student doesn't really need to hear during a lecture, repetitive information, or information that is too detailed and can potentially overwhelm the student. Cognitive Overload is the process from which students get overwhelmed with too much information presented to them at once, which is essential to keep in mind as an online instructor as the bulk of what students will be doing is reading multiple dry articles on a daily basis and overwhelming them is a good way to get them to fall behind or even drop a class.

Evaluation

I've been a student at two online universities now so I am fairly experienced with how lessons, group work and homework are done for each of the classes, but not everyone has the same level of experience. Some are just now realizing the viability of an online education for those with busy lives and no time to sit in a classroom for hours on end. Understanding the various learning theories that use different forms of multimedia applications to teach students is essential to understand both as an instructor and as a student, you can never underestimate knowing how something works and how it can best be used. 

A Meeting of the Minds

Michael Ayala

Bayliss, S. (2013). A Meeting of the Minds. School library Journal, 59 (12), 1-1.

ET

Link: http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eft&AN=92709160&site=ehost-live

This article discusses how the private New City School in Missouri has integrated multiple intelligences into the design of its library. The library hosts weekly Multiple Intelligence Centers and engage in a variety of activities, such as performing scenes from a book, create murals, or complete puzzles. Though the library tries to incorporate activities to support all intelligences, it focuses on logical-mathematical intelligence the most with board game tournaments. It also creates a variety of group activities to help students develop their interpersonal intelligence. Other intelligences come naturally, such as linguistic, with the library's host of literature.

Evaluation:

Although this article doesn't explicitly discuss the multiple intelligence concept, the article is valuable as it demonstrates how some schools have embraced it and developed unique ways to cater to students. It also suggests several methods libraries can adopt to cater to multiple intelligences, and perhaps even give ideas to public librarians on how to serve multiple intelligences through their programming.

Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences

Michael Ayala

Moran, S., Kornhaber, M., & Gardner, H. (2006). Orchestrating Multiple Intelligences. Educational Leadership, 64 (1), 22-27.

ET, CO


Link: http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eft&AN=507912301&site=ehost-live

This article from Educational Leadership discusses the concept to multiple intelligences - that there are 9 different ways students learn with varying strengths and weaknesses. The article claims teachers do not need to create 9 different lesson plans to accommodate the individual ways students learn, but instead should keep the concept in mind to develop as rich a lesson plan as possible to facilitate learning in those areas. Furthermore, the article explains multiple intelligences can both help and hinder students. Some intelligences work in concert with another, an orator could have having strong interpersonal and linguistic skills that enhance each other. Others could have their learning processes bottle-necked by weaknesses - though students may have learned the lesson, their weak linguistic skills prevent them from adequately explaining it in writing. Finally, the article discusses Project Spectrum, which is an interactive assessment process for preschool children to provide fun activities to help evaluate what intelligences a student is strong and weak in. Another environment playing to multiple intelligences is Danfoss Universe in Denmark, a museum that incorporates multiple intelligence activities in its exhibits.

Evaluation:
This article provides an excellent base-point for students beginning to learn about multiple intelligences. Besides including a handy chart on the intelligences and what they are, the article goes in-depth on how they can work together or hinder student learning. It also provides excellent examples on how teachers can develop so-called "rich experiences" to incorporate multiple intelligences into their lessons, as well as how some organizations evaluate students to determine their strengths and weaknesses.

Additional Thoughts on Differentiated Instruction

Parker, Linda

ET

Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement (2008). A

    teacher’s guide to differentiating instruction. Retrieved May 5, 2013, from

     http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Teacher_s_Guide/

     I found this article to be very helpful because of how the concept of differentiated instruction was defined and how the article provided practical tips and pointers for teachers to use in bringing materials to a diverse level of learners within the classroom. One of the most important ideas listed was the fact that differentiated instruction alone will not automatically improve performance, but that it comes from a combination of factors such as curriculum, instructional strategies, student interest, activities, and student satisfaction.

What Does ‘Design Thinking’ Look Like in School?

Jennifer Alfonso-Punzalan

ET
IL

K Schwartz.  (2013, March 4).  What Does ‘Design Thinking’ Look Like in School?  [Web log comment].  Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/03/what-does-design-thinking-look-like-in-school/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29

Design thinking is a way of learning such that students solve real-life problems with creatively thought-out solutions.  Students use multiple intelligences to solve problems.  The article uses the Nueva School in Hillsborough, California, a private K-8 school, as an example of a school where design thinking is incorporated in all the curricula and through all grades.  An example of design thinking is a project where 4th grade students use an LED light to make a light for the family member who needs a lamp the most.  The students must study how the person would use the light, research, and design a lamp.  Design thinking uses all sorts of intelligences, including empathy, visual, kinesthetic, and possibly other types of intelligence.

This is a good article to illustrate the real-life applications of what education should be doing for students in the 21st century.  Students are learning to identify problems, come up with and design solutions, learn how to collaborate and also be independent learners.  Design thinking fosters lifelong learning.

A Simple Guide To 4 Complex Learning Theories

Michelle Windell

ET

Jukes, I. (2013, January 30). A Simple Guide To 4 Complex Learning Theories. Retrieved from:
http://fluency21.com/blog/2013/01/30/a-simple-guide-to-4-complex-learning-theories/

This infographic found by Dr. Loertscher condenses an entire undergraduate program in psychology into one simple table! Great for the visual learner!

Tiscornia, Chole'

Brown, A., & Meyers, M. (2008). Bringing in the Boys: Using the Theory of Multiple Intelligences to Plan Programs that Appeal to Boys. Children & Libraries, 6(1), 4-9.


If you are a fan of the concept of multiple intelligences, yet have difficulty implementing the intelligences into library programming, then this article will help you. Youth librarians, Amy Brown &  Molly Meyers provide many program ideas to tie activities to reading that reach all learning intelligences. Building on Howard Gardner's Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Brown & Meyers offer a myriad of programming that not only encourages reading, but encourages reading in young boys. A helpful reference list for further exploration of the programs and multiple intelligence theory is included as well as this link: http://multipleintelligences.pbworks.com/w/page/21917987/FrontPage  to their personal Wiki. It includes multiple intelligence programming details and directions as well as other resources.